DAILY HEALTH UPDATE: Thursday, September 26, 2013 Dr. Jeff Allyn, Berkley Chiropractic Clinic

“Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Mental Attitude: Depressed People Better at Perceiving Time. New research reveals that depressed people are more accurate when it comes to time estimation than their non-depressed peers. This study suggests that depression leads to more attention paid to time. Focusing on encouraging present moment awareness may be a future treatment for mildly-depressed individuals.  PLoS ONE , August 2013

Health Alert: Fast Food Giveaways. According to a recent study, nearly 70% of fast food advertisements directed at children included toy giveaways, whereas only one percent of ads for adults mentioned giveaways. The Better Business Bureau marketing guidelines state that food should be the focus of food-related advertising to children, and foods and meal combinations being advertised should meet certain nutritional criteria. The study concluded, "Given health concerns about obesity and its relation to fast food consumption, enhanced oversight of fast-food marketing to children at the local, state, and federal level is needed to align advertising to children with health promotion efforts and existing principles of honest and fair marketing to children." PLoS ONE, August 2013

Diet: Eating Broccoli May Help Prevent Arthritis. New research suggests that a common compound found in broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables called sulforaphane could help fight osteoarthritis. Scientists discovered that sulforaphane blocks cartilage-destroying enzymes by intercepting a molecule that causes inflammation. Arthritis & Rheumatism, August 2013

Exercise: Exercising One Day a Week Good Enough for Older Women. A study reveals that women over age 60 may only need to exercise once per week to significantly improve strength and endurance. Researchers monitored 63 older women performing aerobic exercise and resistance training for 16 weeks. One group exercised one time per week, a second group two times per week, and a third group three times per week. The study revealed significant increases in muscle strength, cardiovascular fitness, and functional tasks in each group, but no significant differences between groups.  Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, August 2013

Chiropractic: A Treatment for Sciatica. Research revealed 60% of patients with sciatica who failed medical management benefited from spinal manipulation. The authors concluded that patients with a symptomatic lumbar disk herniation who have failed medical management should consider chiropractic care. Journal of Manipulative Physiologic Therapeutics, October 2010

Wellness/Prevention: A Smartphone Could Test Your Kidneys. Scientists have developed a portable device that attaches to a smartphone and can analyze the level of albumin in a person’s urine. Albumin is a protein found in blood; however, when it's seen in urine, it can be a sign of kidney damage. According to the paper's authors, "This automated albumin testing tool running on a smartphone could be useful for early diagnosis of kidney disease or for monitoring of chronic patients, especially those suffering from diabetes, hypertension, and/or cardiovascular diseases."   Lab on a Chip, August 2013